Aloo Broccoli Sabzi | Broccoli Recipes

On a daily basis, I prepare north Indian curries with various vegetables to pair with my phulkas or bhakris.I find it boring to eat the same combination of vegetables in the curries and hence end up trying it with new combinations or flavors.I have successfully adapted broccoli into my Indian cooking and have tried using broccoli in various curries,stir fries, parathas, tikki etc. I prepare Aloo Broccoli Sabzi in a way largely similar to how I prepare Aloo Gobi sabzi with few modifications and I must say it tastes delicious.

If you are interested, check out other Broccoli recipes which I adapted into my Indian cooking successfully - Broccoli Tikkis , Broccoli stir fry . Check out other Broccoli recipes here.

Aloo Broccoli Sabzi Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:20 mins | Total time:30 mins

Cuisine: North Indian | Category: Side dish - Main Course

Ingredients:

2 medium Potatoes,boiled

1 small Broccoli,cut into florets

1 medium Onion,finely chopped

2 tsp  Ginger-Garlic paste

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala or 1 tsp Kitchen King masala

1/2 tsp Amchur powder

3/4 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

Salt to taste

1.5 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Peel the boiled potatoes and cut into big cubes.
• Par boil the broccoli florets in hot water for 3-4 mins until they are half cooked.
• Heat oil in a kadai/pan and crackle cumin seeds and add chopped onions and fry well until they turn slight pink in color.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
• Now add cubed potatoes and par boiled broccoli florets and fry well for 7-8 mins until the potato cubes turn golden in color and also becomes slightly crisp.Prick a fork into broccoli florets to check whether they are done or not,if they are not done cover it cook for another 2-3 mins.
• Add all the masalas like red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala(or kitchen king masala), turmeric powder, amchur powder and salt and mix well and cover it and cook for 2-3 mins.

Serve it hot with Rice / Rotis / Chapatis or Pulaos.

Notes:

1. You can even add tomato along with onions in the recipe.I like to prepare this dry and hence I do no prefer tomatoes in the recipe.
2. You can apply a layer of tomato ketchup on a roti and place this curry in the center lengthwise and wrap into a roll and give your kids.You can sprinkle some chaat masala on the curry if like when making the rolls.

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Bagara Rice | Hyderabadi Bagara Rice Recipe

Bagara Rice or Bagara Chawal or Bagara Annam is a simple Hyderabadi rice recipe which can be prepared in a jiffy with not much of extra work.'Bagar meaning tempering, is basically an easy peasy plain Biryani recipe without any vegetables and masala powders.Bagara rice is also a popular rice dish in weddings or functions in Hyderabad apart from the famous Vegetable Dum Biriyani.

This Bagara Rice pairs up beautifully with spicy curries like Bagara Baingan , Mirchi ka Salan , Kala Chana masala or any spicy gravy.It is ideal to prepare these kind of simple rice varieties when you are making elaborate menu during parties as it is quick to prepare and reduces the effort.

Check out other Hyderabadi specials in my blog:

• Bagara Baingan
• Mirchi ka Salan 
• Vegetable Dum Biriyani

Hyderabadi Bagara Rice Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:30 mins | Total time:40 mins

Cuisine: Hyderabadi - Indian | Category: Rice | Pulav

Ingredients:

1 heaped cup Basmati Rice

1 big Onion, finely sliced

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
12-15 Cashew nuts ,split into halves(optional)
8-10 Mint leaves(optional)

3/4" Cinnamon

3-4 Cloves

2-3 Green Cardamom

1-2 Bay leaves

1 tsp Shahjeera (black cumin seeds)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Ghee

Method:

• Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 10 mins.Do not wash more than twice as it looses its fragrance.
• Heat oil and ghee in a thick kadai/pan(or cooker) and fry cashew nuts until they turn golden in color and remove them and keep aside.In the same oil add shahi jeera and let them crackle.
• Add cloves,green cardamom,cinnamon and bay leaves and fry them for a minute.Slighly open the cardamom pods before adding so that they do not splutter.
• Add  thinly sliced onions and fry until they become translucent and then add ginger-garlic paste and fry well.
• Add drained basmati rice and fry well for a couple of minutes until its dry,do this step carefully as the rice might get broken.
• Add 2 cups of water and let it come to a boil and add salt and mint leaves and cover it and let it simmer for 12-15 mins until done.If you are preparing it in cooker,pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer it for 5-7 mins.
• When the pressure drops,gently fluff it up using a fork and add fried cashew  nuts and mix.
• Garnish with fried onions(optional) and cashew nuts.

Serve it hot with Bagara Baingan | Mirchi ka Salan | Kala Chana masala or any spicy gravy and raitha,papad.I served it with Kala Vatana Curry.

Notes:

1. Mint leaves are optional in the recipe.I usually add it if I have them otherwise I ignore adding them.
2. This is a mild spiced rice recipe which pairs well with any spicy curry.
3. You can add vegetables like carrots,peas,potatoes,beans,capsicum and make vegetable pulao following the same recipe.
4. The addition of ghee enhances the flavor of rice and pulaos,hence do not skip it.
5. You can add 1-2 green chillies,slit along with onions.However it is optional.

 

 

 

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Kala Vatana Usal | Black Peas Curry Recipe

I have been exposed to various Maharashtrian dishes as I stay in Mumbai hence I have adapted many Maharastrian recipes in my daily cooking. I think that Maharashtrian style cooking is very similar to that in Karnataka and it is just that its a bit more spicy. As we do not eat much spicy food or masalas in our regular diet, I reduce the quantum of masalas drastically in the recipes.

I have tasted Kala vatana which is Black Peas,only after shifting to Mumbai and DH who is a big fan of Kala chana loved this Kala vatana too and hence it became quite regular in our diet.Black peas is slightly harder than the regular peas and hence it takes more time to cook and also holds up its shape and gives a nice bite even after it is cooked.Ironically these black peas do not look black in color,they are slightly brownish with a green tint,I really wonder why they call this black peas(kala vatana).

Kala Vatana Usal is also called as Kala Vatana Amti or Kala Vatana Sambar in Maharasthra.Usually this Kala vatana gravy is paired with Malvani Vade or Kombdi Vade,which is again a Mahasthrian special.Kombdi Vade is basically a mixed flour puri with few spices and dals and is usually paired with non vegetarian curries, but for vegetarians this Kala Vatana Curry pairs up nicely with the Kombdi Vades.I will post those vades sometime later.

If you are interested look into these traditional Maharasthrian recipes in my blog.

• Sabudana Khichdi - Maharastrian style
• Bharli Vangi | Stuffed Eggplants 
• Masale Bhat | Tendli Bhat | Ivy Gourd Rice  
• Maharastrian Ghati Masala
• Sabudana Thalipeeth 

 

Kala Vatana Usal | Black Peas Curry Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time: 50 mins | Total time: 1 hr + soaking time

Cuisine: Maharashtra-Indian | Category: Side dish

Ingredients:

1 cup Kala Vatana(black peas)

2 medium Onions,1 sliced and 1 finely chopped

1 Tomato,chopped

1/2 cup grated fresh Coconut

3-4 Garlic pods

1/2" Ginger,chopped

1 tbsp Kala masala/Goda masala or 1/2 tsp Garam masala(see notes)

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Coriander leaves,to garnish

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Clean and wash kala vatana(black peas) and soak them in water for 8-9 hrs or overnight.
• Rinse the peas again and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles and simmer for 10-12 mins.Black peas takes more time to cook compared to other peas,keep this in mind while cooking it.
• Heat 2 tsp oil and add sliced onion and ginger and garlic and fry for 2 mins until it turns slight brown in color.Add grated coconut to it and fry for a couple of minutes until the coconut turns slight red in color..Cool the  mixture and grind to a fine paste.
• Heat the remaining oil and add chopped onions and fry well until they turn pink in color.
• Add chopped tomatoes to it and fry well.Now add ground paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chili powder and fry until the gravy leaves the oil in the sides.It takes around 5-6 mins as the masala is already cooked.
• Add boiled black peas and fry for a minute along with masala.Add enough water(roughly 2 cups) and salt and boil it for 10-12 mins over low- medium flame.You can adjust the consistency according to your requirements.I prefer to keep it thick for rotis/vades and slightly thin for rice.
• Add chopped coriander leaves at the end.

Serve it hot with roti/Malvani(Kombdi)Vade/puris or rice.I have served it with Bagara rice.

Notes:

1. You need to use Maharasthrian Kala masala for its authentic taste,but if you do not have it you can use Garam masala to it.Also apart from adding garam masala you also need to add 1 tsp fennel seeds,1 tbsp khus khus and 1-2 dagad phool(black stone flower) and 2 strings of mace while frying onion masala and grind along with it.
2. You can follow the same recipe for yellow peas or Kala chana(black chickpeas),matki(moth bean) sprouts or Moong(whole moong) sprouts.I love all the versions.
3. You can even sprout the black peas and use in the recipe instead of just soaked ones.
4. Black peas takes more time to cook compared to other peas,keep this in mind while cooking it.

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